Golden Grizzlies return home hoping to avoid worst start in program history

After a nearly month-long, seven-game road trip, Oakland returns to the O’rena this weekend looking to avoid its worst start in program history. It should help the Golden Grizzlies’ fight against infamy that they’re playing a team they’ve never lost to.

Oakland welcomes cross-town Rochester College (NAIA) Saturday at 6 p.m. having begun the season 0-7 for the first time since 2004-05, the same season in which it earned its first NCAA tournament berth after a 9-18 regular season.

“There’s no need to panic,” head coach Greg Kampe said. “I never thought we’d be 0-7, but it’s November.

Mondy and Williams returned to the lineup last weekend after Mondy had been replaced in the starting lineup by Clarkston native Mitch Baenziger. Mondy started Tuesday’s game at Western Michigan, though, a 99-88 loss in which Oakland picked up 32 personal fouls and three players fouled out. Three other Golden Grizzlies finished the game with four fouls.

Kampe was flabbergasted by a perceived differentiation of new NCAA rules by officials after the loss at Western Michigan, saying the team’s first four games were called differently than its past three.

“It’s different in every gym we’re in,” he said. “Referees are learning. Players are learning.

“Officials have been told to do this. I have to learn how to coach it.”

As Oakland begins to play at home, Kampe was confident his team will be able to regroup, as the veteran coach plans to make adjustments to the team’s schemes. The change is not easy, though, as it requires altering philosophies which have been successful in the past.

The offseason rule change essentially frees up ball-handlers, and was welcomed by Kampe and other coaches of high-scoring juggernauts. Instead, Oakland players have fouled out in all but one game this season.

“We’re not getting to the (free-throw) line because we don’t just put our heads down and go,” he said. “We’re not built for these rules.

“It’s hurting us because our top players are having to play tentatively.”

Leading scorer Travis Bader, who averages 39 minutes per game, was held to a season-low 27 minutes Tuesday after picking up three early fouls after hitting three consecutive 3-pointers.

“He was on his way to a 40- or 45-point night,” Kampe said.

Bader still led the team in scoring with 25 points.

Defensively, the Golden Grizzlies are planning to move away from trapping in the corners.

“We’re just going to build a wall around the basket,” Kampe said. “We can’t be putting people on the free-throw line 40 times.”

The Golden Grizzlies did, however, score a season-high 88 points and shoot a season-best 50 percent (27 of 54) Tuesday.

Oakland, which has now lost 10 straight away from the O’rena, is 15-0 all-time against Rochester College, although Rochester took Oakland to overtime on Feb. 17, 1997, before falling by four points.

The Warriors (8-3) were led by 21 points from junior guard John Irons (Madison Heights) in their last game, an 86-56 win at Penn College Nov. 25.

About the Author

Paul Kampe covered the Rochester area, Oakland County and Oakland University for The Oakland Press. He has also worked as online coordinator, a page designer/copy editor and preps sports writer. Reach the author at paul.kampe@oakpress.com
or follow Paul on Twitter: @PaulKampe.